Compressor



May 10, 1932.

W. C. GIBSON ET AL COMPRESSOR Filed June 12, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J'ZUiZZER! M y 10, 1932. w. CJGI SQN Em 1 851,276

COMPRESSOR Filed June 12., 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mam My Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM G. GIBSON AND ADAM GABRIEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS OF ONE- THIED TO ACME INDUSTRIAL CO., A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS COMPRESSOR Application filed June 12,

This invention relates to rotary compressors or pumps, and lubricating means therefor.

The improved construction is useful for various purposes, particularly where it is desired to produce a high pressure or rapid time without attention or reduction in eflicienc He fetofore', while rotary compressors have been recognized as desirable for refrigeration purposes, they have been generally unsatisfactory because of their rapid loss of efficiency.

Another object of this invention is to provide reliable automatic means for lubricating all moving parts of the compressor, its bearings and the motor'bearin s, and means for sealing the compressor bla es'with lubricant as a means for increasing efliciency.

A further object is to provide means where- I by the arc of contact between the rotor and the cylinder wall is of such width that a filin of lubricant between the two surfaces will prevent loss of compression. 1 A. further object is to provide piston blade in the rotor with wearing strips which automatically compensate for any wear which may occur on'the blades or cylinder end walls, thus maintaining compressor efliciency.

A further object is to provide within the compressor and motor housing a means of separating the lubricant from the refrigerant which passes through the compressor, means for retaining lubricant in the compres sor housing, and means for conveying said lubricant to the interior of the compressor housing.

All of these objectsmay be accomplished by the use of devices described hereinafter, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which i 1930. Serial No. 480,688.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional elevation of the unit.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation with the compressor end plate removed.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic detail in side elevation of the pump cylinder and rotor showing, somewhat exaggerated, how the rotor fits Within a sealing recess on the inner surface of a cylinder.

Fig. 4 shows transverse and longitudinal sectional views of piston blades which are carried by the rotor.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary de tailed view to supplement Figure 3, for the purpose of showing that the rotor blades span the sealin recess in the cylinder, which recess, for tie sake of clearness, is shown exaggerated in Figure 3.

The refrigerating apparatus consists of a motor, a compressor with its several parts,

driving means interposed between motor and compressor, a housing, a condenser, an evapo rator, a temperature control and the necessary connections. As shown, the so-called dry system is in use, but it is obvious that any other form of evaporator may be used employing either the dry or flooded system. As shown, a limited quantity of li uid refrigerant is stored in the lower condenser coils. Before starting, the compressor housing is filled to line A with a suitable lubricant.

The motor 1 is provided with bearings 2 each of which is provided with a lubricant well 3 filled with a lubricant retainer such as wool and with an enclosed wick 4 extending downwardly into the lubricant stored in the housin by means of which lubricant is drawn up to t e bearings 2 keeping them well lubricated.

The motor shaft 5 is connected to compressor shaft 6 by means of a flexible coupling 7 which is rigidly secured to shafts 5 and 6.

Compressor shaft 6 carries a rotor 8 eccentrically disposed within a cylinder 9 and between bearing plates 10 and 11. The rotor 8 is provided with a plurality of pockets in each of which a piston blade 12 is slidably disposed with its outer end engaging the cylinder bore. At point B on the inner circumference of the cylinder 9, a longitudinal groove or recess is provided, ground to approximately the same radius as the rotor 8 and in which rotor 8 revolves in close contact to cylinder 9, of such width that as rotor revolves carryin r blades 12 over said groove or recess, sai

blades 12 do not enter recess but span and pass over, as the blades are of greater width than the recess. The recess is ground to the same arc as the surface of the rotor, thus avoiding the common and objectionable feature of mere line contact between the rotor through theinner end of each blade permits 1 the flow of lubricant into passageway 13. A wearing strip 15 is slidably disposed in each slot and held from sliding outwardly toward cylinder 9 by a projection extending into passageway 13, or by other suitable means.

.When motor 1 is started, rotor 8 revolves in the direction shown by arrow in Fig. 2 and piston blades move outwardly and their outer ends engage cylinder wall. Because of the suction created, lubricant is drawn up through passageway 16, to lubricant chamber 17, through passageway 18, to chamber 19 which communicates with piston blade pockets 20, thus providing lubrication for bearing 21 and blades 12. Some of the lubricant passes the blades 12 into the cylinder and provides a seal between the blades and the cylinder wall, and is discharged with the compressed refrigerant through discharge ort 22. As the mixture of refrlgerant and lu ricant is discharged, it strikes bafile plate or lubricant separator '23, which is so arranged that a portion of the lubricant is trapped therein and conveyed to the open bearing 24.

Here it is subject to pressure, due to compression, and the difference between that pressure and the pressure existing within the compressor causes the lubricant to flow through passageway 25 to chamber 26, which also communicates with piston blade pockets 20', thus providing lubrication for bearing 24 and preventing loss of efficiency by the passage of compressed refrigerant through bearing 24 to the interior of the compressor.

Thelubricant within piston blade pockets 20 is subject to pressure of the compressed refrigerantin housing'27, and a portion of it is forced through openings 14 into passageway 13, forcing wearing strips outwardly and maintaining close contact between them and bearing plates 10 and 11, thus preventing loss of compression past the piston blades 12.

The refrigerant, preferably sulphur dioxide, is drawn from the evaporator 28 throu h suction tube 29 and check valve 30 into t e cylinder 9 where it is compressed and discharged throughdischarge port 22 with the lubricant which entered the cylinder as previously outlined. The discharge is directed at baflle or lubricant separator 23 which, as before stated, traps a portion of the lubricant. Any lubricant, not so trapped, separates from the refrigerant because of the decrease in its velocity, and falls to the bottom of housing 27 The rotation of the flexible coupling 7 sets up a circular current which tends to assist in the separation of refrigerant and lubricant.

The compressed refrigerant fluid passes through ports 31 from the compressor compartment into the motor compartment, and thence through port 32 into condenser 33 where heat is thrown off and the fluid passes into.a liquid state. From the condenser the liquid passes through expansion valve 34 into evaporator 28 where it absorbs heat and is drawn again to the compressor. This cycle is repeated until the cabinet to be cooled has reached a predetermined temperature when a suitable automatic controlling device stops the motor. The unit then remains idle until suflicient heat has been absorbed by the cabinet to cause the temperature to rise to an-" other predetermined point, when the automatic control again starts the motor and the cycle is repeated.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the construction shown may be altudinal recess at one point in its inner Cl1- cumference, a rotor eccentrically disposed within said cylinder and fitting into said recess and provided with a plurality of pockets and a plurality of piston blades, one blade slidably disposed in each of said pockets and each blade having its outer end engaging the bore of said cylinder, and formed to span said recess and not enter the recess upon rotation of said rotor.

2. A compressor comprising a cylinder having end walls and acircumferential wall and a longitudinal depression in the inner surface of the circumferential wall, a rotor eccentrically supported within said cylinder and extending into said depression, said de pression being curved to conform to the pcriphery of the rotor, and piston blades carried by said rotor, said piston blades being of sufficient "width to span said depression. 7

Signed at Chicago this 3rd day of June, 

